By Gina Martinez
After allocating $200,000 in the fall budget, City Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest) announced additional street cleaning and sanitation for his district.
Lancman was joined by representatives from the New York City Department of Sanitation, Wildcat Service Corp., business owners and community leaders at the Aug. 31 announcement, all of whom highlighted what the additional services would mean to the local community.
City Council’s Cleanup NYC Initiative, an undertaking designed to keep neighborhoods and streets clean, will provide the community’s new sanitation bins, additional street-cleaning services and trash pickup.
Lancman said clean neighborhoods and streets are critically important to the local economy and residents’ quality of life.
“It has been a top priority of mine since joining the Council to ensure that sanitation services are robust and resources are readily available,” he said. “The additional street-cleaning and sanitation services I am providing will help keep our community clean.”
The initiative will expand sanitation services, including an additional day of Wildcat Cleaning Service, on four routes, resulting in a four-man crew working to keep those routes clean five days a week. The routes include Main Street from Melbourne Avenue to 78th Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills; Hillside Avenue from Sutphin Boulevard to 173rd Street in Jamaica Hills; Queens Boulevard from from Main Street to 87th Avenue in Briarwood; and Union Turnpike from Utopia Parkway to 188th Street in Fresh Meadows.
In addition, Lancman announced there will be an extra day of trash pick-up on Main Street from Melbourne Avenue to 76th Road, in Kew Gardens Hills; Queens Boulevard from Main Street to 87th Avenue, in Briarwood; and Hillside Avenue from Parsons Boulevrd to 172nd Street, in Jamaica Hills.
Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia said the partnership with elected officials and the department will make a difference in the neighborhoods.
“We are pleased to work with Council member Lancman to increase litter basket collection in areas of Council District 24,” she said. “There’s a high volume of pedestrian traffic in these areas. Sanitation can do its part with increased collections, but it takes the help of residents and pedestrians to use the litter baskets properly to dispose of light trash only.”
David Saturn, senior director of Wildcat Service, said they look forward to their continued partnership with the councilman.
“As part of our partnership, Wildcat crews will now provide increased sanitation and beautification services in the Council member’s district for five days a week, improving safety and quality of life for district residents.” he said.
Jennifer Martin, co-president of the Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association, said businesses and residents, alike, benefit when neighborhoods and streets are clean.
“The additional sanitation services provided by Council member Lancman will make a huge difference for our community,” she said.
Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmart
